Two years after reports were first published informing the nation that veterans were waiting too long for health care from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), over 530,000 veterans are still waiting 30 days or longer for care. To improve veterans wait times for healthcare, the VA released a proposal granting veterans full access to over 4,800 advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) working in VA facilities, enabling those APRNs to practice to the full scope of their education and clinical training.

The VA’s proposal to expand nurse practitioner care in VA facilities was released in May, and now six months later, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and a grassroots coalition called Veterans Deserve Care are calling for a swift enactment of the VA proposal to ensure timely health care access for veterans in VA facilities.

Nurse practitioners are licensed to diagnose and treat acute and chronic illnesses, and promote health and disease prevention in their patients. They can assess, order, perform, supervise, and interpret laboratory tests, make diagnoses, initiate and manage treatment including prescribing medications and non-pharmacologic treatment, coordinate care and counseling, and educate patients and their families. 21 states and the District of Columbia already offer direct access to NP care, with proven outcomes equivalent to or better than those of physicians. Based off these positive results, organizations including the National Academy of Medicine, AARP, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation are urging support for removing unnecessary barriers to NP practice to improve veteran care.

According to AANP President Dr. Cindy Cooke, DNP, FNP-C, FAANP, “For more than fifty years, nurse practitioners have proudly treated our men and women in uniform, ensuring them the high-quality health care they deserve…We urge the VA to take immediate action to enact this proposed rule for the benefit of our nation’s veterans.” Veterans have waited long enough for health care and America’s 222,000 nurse practitioners are prepared to meet the needs of patients inside and outside of the veterans healthcare system as soon as their proposal is granted.

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